Injection blow molding is a commonly used manufacturing process for producing hollow plastic parts from thermoplastic material. Injection blow molding can be used to produce plastic containers, most frequently small medical and single serve bottles. In general, the blow molding process involves melting down a thermoplastic material and forming it into a parison or preform. The perform is typically a tube-like piece of plastic with a hole in one end to accommodate the introduction of compressed air. The preform is heated and a pressurized gas, usually air, is used to expand the hot preform and press it against the interior of a mold cavity. The pressure within the preform is maintained until the plastic cools and solidifies in the desired shape at which time the mold is opened to release the newly formed container.
In the past, finishing of a blow molded container, for example the addition of closure structures, has occurred entirely in separate, subsequent operations. This is particularly true in the case of containers using flip-top closures. The flip-top closure is molded or otherwise manufactured separately. It is then added to the already blow molded container by any number of known means. An example of a prior art container manufactured by the prior art method is provided in FIG. 1. While this method of assembly is widely used, it does require multiple manufacturing steps and generally requires the use of a greater amount of plastic material than might otherwise be necessary. This latter quality in particular can be a significant drawback for projects where sustainable manufacturing is a key metric.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a means for improving the process for injection blow molding of containers and that addresses one or more of the problems set forth above.